Stamp layout device



July 28, 1953 A. PALIN STAMP LAYOUT DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1951 mm M H A M 4 Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAMP LAYOUT DEVICE Abraham Palin, New York, N. Y. Application January 9, 1951, Serial No. 205,147

2- Claims. (01; aa 95) This invention relates toguide devices for laying out stamps during the process of mounting the stamps and more particularly to a device for use by stamp collectors in preparing layouts for mounting sets or groups of stamps.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved guide device for assisting stamp collectors in preparing layouts for postage stamps, said device being very simple in construction, providing accuracy in locating the margins or borders of stamps of various sizes, and saving substantial amounts of time in the process of mounting stamps on the pages of stamp albums and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved guide device for laying out the locations of postage stamps on the pages of an album and for ruling border lines around each stamp at the same time as the layout is being made, the device being inexpensive to manufacture, involving only a few parts, being easy to manipulate, and being durable in construction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved stamp layout device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the various elements of the device of Figure l in separated positions.

Referring to the drawings, the guide device is designated generally at H and comprises a generally L-shaped base member l2 on which are mounted the superimposed T-shaped members [3 and M. The members l2, l3 and [4 are made of transparent material, such as transparent plastic material. The base member l2 has the arms l5 and I6 located at right angles to each other and having the respective inside edges l1 and 18. Designated at l9 and are respective hair lines ruled on the arms l5 and I6 adjacent to but spaced from and parallel with the respective edges I! and It. A hair line 2| is-ruled on the arm l6 forming a continuation of edge H, and a similar hair line 22 is ruled on the arm [5 forming a continuation of the edge I 8. A diagonal hair line 23 is ruled on the corner defined between the arms l5 and It, the hair 2 line 23 connecting the outer corner defined by arms [5 and It with the inner corner defined by intersection of edges I1 and It, as shown.

The T-shaped member [3 has a head portion 24 and a stem portion 25. As shown in Figure 4, the stem portion 25 is downwardly onset so as to be coplanar with the arm [6 when the head portion 24 is disposed on the arm 5. The shoulder defined by the downwardly offset stem 25 with respect to the head 24 is designated at 26 and is slidably engageable with the edge I! of arm l5 to guide stem 25 for movement parallel to arm lb. The head 24 is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 2'! through which extends a pair of guide bolts 28, 28 th'readedly engaged in the arm l5, as shown in Figure 2, said guide bolts being provided with the enlarged knurled heads 29 which are clampingly engageable with the head member 24 to lock member l3 in an adjusted position relative to the base member l2. The stem 25 has an edge 30 which faces the edge l8, and said stem 25 is inscribed with a hair line 3| parallel to and adjacent the edge 30. The member I3 is also inscribed with a diagonal hair line 32 which extends across the head portion 24, the diagonal hair line 32 being at right angles to the hairline 23' ofthe base member l2. Provided on the'head portion 24 is a knurled upstanding boss '33 providing a means of moving the memher [3 toward or away from the arm l6 when the clamping bolts 28, 28 are released.

The member M is provided with the head portion 34 and the stem portion 35. As shown in Figure 1, the head portion 34 is disposed on the arm [5 with the stem portion 35 transversely overlying the stem portion 25 of member l3 and being received thereon in the same plane as the head portion 24 of member l3. Head portion '34 is formed with a longitudinal slot 36 through which extend the clamping bolts 31, 31 which are threadedly engaged in the arm I6 of base member l2. The slot 35 is at right angles to the stem 35, whereby the slot guides the member 14 for movement at right angles to the direction of stem 35, the clamping bolts 31, 31 being arranged so as to guide the head portion 34 for niovement longitudinally along arm l6, and consequently for movement toward and away from the arm 15. stem portion'35 is thus guided for movement to and away fro-m the arm 15 and is held parallel thereto. Stem portion 35 has an edge 31 which opposes and is parallel to the edge [1 of arm [5, and stem 35 is inscribed with a hair line 38 located parallel to and adjacent said edge 31. Designated at 39 is a diagonal hair line inscribed on the member I4 and extending diagonally across the head portion 34 of said member. Hair line 3'9 is at right angles to the hair line 23 on the corner of base member I2.

The inner margins of the arms I and I5 of the base member l2 are provided with calibrated distance scales 40 and 4|, which may be in inches or other suitable units of length. Similar scales are provided on the margins of the stem portions 25 and 35. as shown at 42 and 43.

In using the device, the stamp to be located is laid on the page or sheet on which it is to be mounted face up. The bolt members 28, 28 and 31, 3! are loosened and the guide device is laid over the stamp in a positionsquared with respect to the page. It will be noted that a rec- 4 a first T-shaped member of fiat transparent material, a second T-shaped member of flat transparent material, means slidably connecting the head portion of the first T-shaped member to one arm of the L-shaped member for movement therealong, means slidably connecting the head portion of the second T-shaped member to the other arm of said L-shaped member for movement therealong, the stem portions of the T-shaped members overlapping and the inner edges thereof defining an aperture of predetermined size with respect to the inside corner of the L-shaped member, said second T-shaped member having an offset stem portion of flat material, the top face of said offset portion lying in the plane of the top face of the L-shaped member whereby said stem portions overlap with i the adjacent faces in the same plane respective tangular enclosure is defined between the corner portion of the base member 12 and the corners between the head and stem portions of the members l3 and. I4. This space may be set to any desired size and secured by means of the bolts 28, 28 and 31', 31. When the enclosure has been set to the desired size a border or outline may be drawn indicating where the postage stamp is to be mounted on the page by the use of a pencil or by use of India ink where a permanent border or margin is desired. By marking the borders of various stamps to be mounted on a page by the use of a pencil in the manner above described, it is possible to lay out a complete page of stamps prior to actually mounting the stamps.

The device may also be employed to lay out the locations of triangular shaped stamps by setting the diagonal hair line 23 in a vertical position on the page and adjusting the positions of the stem portions 25 and 35 to correspond with the positions of the base corners of the triangular area to be laid out. When the device is used with a horizontal guide line, it will be apparent that the device may be set to the desired size and the guide lines 32 and. 39 may then be utilized to set the device so that the base corners of the triangle are on a horizontalline. Obviously, this procedure may also be employed to lay out diamond shaped stamps.

The hair lines 20, [9, 3i, and 38 are employed in determining proper spacing between the laid out enclosures for the stamps to be mounted, the hair lines being at equal distances from the associated edges of the various arms l5, I6, 25 and 35.

The scales 42, 43, 40 and 4| make it possible to set up any desired shape or size of rectangle,

triangle or diamond shaped enclosure in graduated sizes corresponding to the graduationsof said scales. For example the scales may be graduated in sixteenths of an inch, whereby any combination of sizes, graduated in sixteenths of an inch may be laid out, whereby the device may be employed to cover a complete range of diiferent sizes of stamps now in use.

While a specific embodiment of an improved layout device for postage stamps has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable device for locating the positions of postage stamps on a page comprising an L-shaped member of flat transparent material,

hair lines inscribed on the stem portions of the T-shaped members parallel to the edges thereof, a diagonal hair line inscribed on the L-shaped member at the corner thereof, and respective diagonal hair lines inscribed on the head portions of the T-shaped members, each of said diagonal hair lines being arranged to terminate inwardly at said aperture.

' 2. An adjustable ruling device for ruling postage stamp frames on a page comprising an L-shaped base member of flat transparent material having plane top and bottom faces, a first T-shaped member of flat transparent material, a second T-shaped member of transparent material, means slidably connecting the head portion of the first T-shaped member to one arm of the L-shaped member for movement along the top face thereof, means slidably connecting the head portion of the second T-shaped mem her to the other arm of said L-shaped member for movement along the top face thereof, the stem portions of the T-shaped members overlapping and the inner edges thereof defining an aperture of predetermined size with respect to the inside corner of the L-shaped member, respective length scales inscribed on the inside margins of the L-shaped member, said second T-shaped member having an offset stem portion of fiat material, the top face of said offset portion lying in the plane. of the top face of the L-shaped memberwhereby said stem portions overlap with the adjacent faces in the same plane, said first and second-named means comprising an elongated slot in the head of the respective T-shaped members at right angles to the respective stem portions thereof, and guide means on said L-shaped member received in said slot, whereby said T-shaped members are movable at right angles, one with respect to the other.

ABRAHAM PALIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 637,373 Crawford et a1 Nov. 21, 1899 1,248,695 Morris Dec. 4, 1917 2,087,102 Chandler July 13, 1937 2,178,021 Meers Oct. 31, 1939 2,300,401 Basler et a1 Nov. 3, 1942 2,520,904 Boehm Sept. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 40,236 France Feb. 12, 1932 

